AP Euro
November 3rd, 2012

The Cahiers De Dolances The Cahiers De Dolances were the lists of woes Louis XVI ordered to give each estate a chance to express their opinions on what was happening in the country, and what they thought needed improvement. The Third Estate’s list consisted of complaints of the clergy, finances, and the first and second estates exemption from taxes.
The first part of the list contained their complaints from a clergies point of view. Their main complaints were that, “No tax may be laid without the consent of the nation,” as well as,
The general laws of the kingdom may be enacted only with the consent of the king and the nation. If the king proposes a law, the nation accepts or rejects it; if the nation demands a law, its is for he king to consent of reject it; but in either case it is the king alone who upholds the law in his name and attends to its execution.
These complaints came after meeting and discussing what they thought needed improvement or abolishment in their country. They did not believe that the constitution needed reform. The Frist Estate wanted the constitution to be sacredly observed. The second part of the list contained complaints about personal liberties and taxes. They asked that,
No citizen may be exiled, arrested, or held prisoner except in cases contemplated by the law and in accordance with a decree originating in the regular courts of justice.
These concepts came as a result of their people being arrested for no reason, and having no evidence to back up their story. The Third Estate’s complaints against taxes began with their belief that taxes should be a voluntary action, not mandatory. According to their theory, which was recognized by the king,
No tax, real or personal, direct or indirect, nor any contribution whatsoever, under whatsoever name or form, may be established except with the consent and free and voluntary approval of the nation.
They also believed that there should be one set of laws, and one system of weights and measures through the country.
The Third Estate had an extensive list of grievances, as they were a mixed group of the lower